Veteran fighter Sean Salmon opening a new MMA facility in Ohio

Sean Salmon, a veteran of organizations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Strikeforce, is opening a new MMA training facility in Columbus, Ohio.

As detailed in this week’s “MMA Insider” column for the Dayton Daily News, the former Ohio State University wrestler will open the S.S. Combat & Fitness Center on Feb. 1.

“The area produces a lot of fighters, but there’s not a whole lot of places to go to get complete, all-around training,” said Salmon, a longtime MMAjunkie.com contributor.

The business is a joint venture between Salmon and his father-in-law, Rick Pyles, who is the owner of the Ohio-based Ultimate Victory Challenge promotion.

The facility (located at 171 N. Hamilton Road in Columbus) will include a regulation cage, boxing ring, mat space, heavy bags and other equipment. Boxing, wrestling, kickboxing and jiu-jitsu instructors are being brought in to offer training for complete amateurs to top-level professionals. Additionally, a pro shop will include merchandise from many of MMA’s top brands.

Salmon and fellow UFC vet Rex Holman (a former NCAA Division I national wrestling champion at Ohio State) will head the wrestling instruction.

Students can now register and use the mat space while Salmon and Pyles complete the renovation of the building, which once housed a karate studio.

“It’s going to be a great place when it’s finished,” Salmon said.

In addition to MMA instruction, Salmon will borrow a page from other successful gyms and offer something for everyone.

“The place won’t be just for fighters,” Salmon said. “We plan to offer self-defense classes, get involved with the school programs and offer training to people who simply want to get in shape. Big picture, I’d love to see everyone in Columbus be fit.”

Salmon (15-6), who’s long penned columns for MMAjunkie.com about the ups and downs of being a professional fighter, most recently competed in October. He met Josh Haynes at “A Night of Combat II” in a fight-of-the-night bout. However, Salmon was forced to tap out from a second-round Achilles lock. He had won four of his previous five fights before the loss.

The 31-year-old is expected to return to action next month for the upstart World Cagefighting Alliance organization, which hosts a show Feb. 6 in Atlantic City, N.J. Salmon will then likely head to Helsinki, Finland, for a March Fight Festival event. Salmon fought in the country once before and defeated arguably the nation’s top fighter, Mikko Rupponen (16-5-2), via first-round TKO. Event organizers hope to use Salmon’s March fight to hype a rematch with Rupponen that would take place later this year.

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.